INTERNET FRAUD - Are you a victim?

[#1]

It's come to my attention that many of you have registered your domain names through a 3rd party, Sarah's Marketing Service. This individual is no longer associated with Etsy and has had their accounts deleted.

If you have registered your website through them, you can pull the WHOIS information http://www.ip-adress.com/whois/ and find out the fake name this individual has used to register your site and get your domain name back.

You can then use that information to make a formal complaint to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as you have been a victim of Internet Fraud.

The Canadian Anti- Fraud Centre:

Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501

Toll Free Fax: 1-888-654-9426
Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

-----------------------

As well, for US citizens, please contact the Federal Trade Commission:

www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

You may also call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

Also contact your State Attorney General.

------------------------

As well, please contact Etsy Trust & Safety at trust@etsy.com and forward your complaint to them. The more information Etsy has on these individuals the better equipped they will be to fully remove their presence from this site.

[BrazenDesignStudio]

I'm glad if anything, we've gotten the word out so that more and more sellers become aware they may have been taken advantage of and can get control of their domains and Facebook pages back. That's the most important aspect because GoDaddy and Facebook will not even consider you being the rightful owner, until she rectifies what's she done.

[hautecards]

Freeman The Wire Master from FabulousWire says
Eureka Internet Guides from EurekaGuides says

I should also add, as an aside (and not defending Sarahs Marketing) that SEO services are notoriously difficult to carry out because the results can be varied. It can work well for some sites and not for others. For that reason there will be people who are happy and some who are not. This goes for all SEO Marketing Services.
---------------------------------
So how about pay by result?


That's the beauty of selling a service, you cannot expect to pay only if you like the result... that's like saying that you will only pay a hairdresser if your husband likes the haircut, otherwise you walk away with it for free...

I think there's certain points to be clarified like the people from EtsyLush said... not getting the results you wanted does not equal fraud. I have read all of the comments on this thread and I have to say I think Sarah's mistake was trying to sell a service she had no experience with...

a really knowledgeable and experienced SEO person would know that no result is guaranteed. Had she been offering the services for setting up your shop for SEO optimization, meaning "doing the leg work for you" would be completely legit. She would been paid to do what you don' have time to do or have any knowledge to do, but always stating that the work doesn't arrive to a guaranteed result. When you guarantee something that you don't have control of, is when it feels fraudulent.

On the domain registering service, again it seems that in order to make it work more efficiently for her, she overlooked the proper steps of doing that service and registering it correctly... Having a third party register a domain for you, is not a fraudulent service.. it just needs to be done properly.

Again, I state this in bold letters: I DON'T SUPPORT HER ACTIONS, but I feel that an explanation is needed when explaining where was the fraud committed.. sometimes when we make a call to action some of the points get blurred on the way to justice..

[wildwomanbeads]

I will speak to the fraud issue. I bought a second package from this service that included an agreed upon number of Facebook "likes" that I was told would come from this marketer's "personal database." When they actually appeared on my Facebook page, all 1000 accounts at once, there was not a genuine account among them.

They were all ghost accounts created in names of people who don't exist ("Elvis Elvis Elvisi," for example). Some used profile photos and falsified pornographic names from pornographic websites. Some used photos of actual movie stars but falsified names.

None of them listed geographic locations and none had more than 2-10 "friends" (out of 1000 accounts?). I approached the provider about this, and she responded with a nasty email calling me "stupid" and telling me I didn't understand this is how all online marketers "do it." That is, creating and using empty or ghost accounts. I'm sure there are some marketers who would like to challenge that statement. In any case, both Facebook and I frown upon the dishonest use of their program, and especially the use of unprofessional and inappropriate "names" for the supposed FB accounts.

It happens Facebook calls it fraud. A service was sold as a true service when it was, in fact, fraudulent.

Interesting that while the provider called me names and shamed me for not appreciating what she had done to "market" my shop, she never denied that the accounts, though advertised as coming from her personal database, were all falsified. Nor did she explain the choices of names for these ghost accounts.

When she was through with her tirade at me, I asked for a refund for this service. She immediately refunded me (within minutes). She said she had no power to remove the accounts from my FB page, and they would have to remain there.

I thanked her and I told her I would use that money to pay someone else to remove the fake/ghost accounts from my page. Again, she responded with derision. "You still don't get it, do you? Everyone lies on Facebook."

I thanked her for the refund and hired someone to remove the accounts. They had been gone for two days (and I had no further contact with the provider) when another 1000 ghost or falsified accounts, similar in profile to the first 1000, appeared on my page.

This is called "internet harrassment," and it too is illegal.

I had done nothing but ask for a refund and removal of the accounts, since the "service" was not as advertised. I was polite, respectful, but said that I understood that what the provider was doing was reportable to both Etsy (who has removed them) and to Facebook (which is in process).

I hope that's explanation enough, and, truly, I hope no one else ever has to go through the time and effort it's taken me to undo the damage she did.

I'll let the folks whose domain names she registered speak to where the fraud is in their encounters with her.

[hautecards]

Meredith, thank you for your explanation. Although you didnt have to, it does make a separation to say what is fraud and what is not.

I guess, I feel responsible to say that there are such services in the Internet Marketing industry that are valid,and I wouldnt want people to think that Facebook marketing, SEO optimization, and Domain Registering feel like fraudulent practices, when actually is HER way of doing it that is wrong.

[BrazenDesignStudio]

Jucel - Getting paid to provide a service for SEO optimization, registering domains and setting up Fan pages is not illegal. What is however is providing false reports for a service that was never provided. Registering domains with false names and addresses and having people believe they own those domains is pretty unethical, wouldn't you agree? Setting up Facebook fan pages with fraudulent accounts is also not providing the service she was paid to do, no? There was absolutely NO reason why she needed to do any of this, and yet it was done.

Luckily she has now been found out. All of those who have been affected have been advised to report this to their local authorities. She needs to be held accountable for her actions but this thread is also trying to help those that HAVE been affected, to get their money back, get their domains back and get control of their fan pages back. The police will handle the rest but it's our intent to inform as many sellers as possible so that they can even become aware that they have been defrauded.

[hautecards]

Emma Frankland from pixillion says
lol - I've just realised......who needs to pay for SEO optimisation? This thread is being talked about on here, FB, Twitter, all over the place. Its going viral over the internet and nobody's making a fast buck this time. Methinks there is a lesson we should all learn here!
------------

The people that don't have time to do so , or that their knowledge is limited on the subject. SEO optimization on itself is not hard to do, but is very time consuming if you have several pages and strategies to work out.
If you have only one website, if shouldn't take too long.

on the other hand, trying to better our shops, we are always trying to follow what are supposed to be "helpful tips" that are constantly directing us like sheeps to do certain things for marketing, being "SEO Optimization" always on the top 5 of the list. I definitely can see how some people can be seduced to do something about it right away because it's so "necessary" to gain views.

[hautecards]

Brazen Edwards-Hager from BrazenDesignStudio says
Jucel - Getting paid to provide a service for SEO optimization, registering domains and setting up Fan pages is not illegal. What is however is providing false reports for a service that was never provided. Registering domains with false names and addresses and having people believe they own those domains is pretty unethical, wouldn't you agree? Setting up Facebook fan pages with fraudulent accounts is also not providing the service she was paid to do, no? There was absolutely NO reason why she needed to do any of this, and yet it was done.

-----

I did say her actions were wrong. I was trying to explain for other people that have commented in general about these kinda of services being pointless and therefore automatically fraud ;)

You are cool in my book ^_^ Keep informing!

[BrazenDesignStudio]

I don't think anyone was saying that providing these services is automatically fraud, NOT providing the service they were paid to do however is.

Even I had someone else register my domain for me, but it was a trusted friend and at the time I didn't have a clue about websites so I had him do it for me. There's nothing wrong with that. What's the problem is people were entrusting these services to someone that wasn't honourable. Think of the actual ramifications if the person you're giving your business identity to isn't legit. If your Facebook fan page is in the control of someone that isn't trust worthy, that can have very serious consequences to your brand.

My advice all along has been for people to RESEARCH. Having a few testimonials on a site can be fabricated but there are plenty of professionals that are providing a great service and it's up to the consumer to figure out who is who. Let's just be thankful that we've uncovered one that is not!

[Former_Member]

I used her service in April 11, 2012. I just read this thread and emailed her. I forgot about it until now. I'm so upset that I fell for it! I really wanted traffic and sells. I did get more sells, but who knows where that originated from.

[Former_Member]

Man o man...I am so mad. I spent money with her (him, it, whatever) and wondered why the "marketing package" was not having a shred on an impact on my store...now I know. I , too will be demanding a refund thru Paypal...and thanks for exposing this situation to us so we can take action. I am really disappointed. Isn't it hard enough to make a dollar without this stuff going on, too? I need a beer.....

[CheekyHandmadeQuilts]

She is still advertising on Facebook, I almost fell for it, luckily I googled her service and ended up here. Is Etsy/ Facebook not able to shut down her website if she is committing fraud?

[Former_Member]

I was thinking of buying from her, but since I was very low in money... I thought that maybe in the future... thanks for the post!!!!

[TransitDesign]

Is there an update as to what is going on with this entire fiasco? I too, drank the Kool-Aid. Probably about a month ago ... I didn't purchase a domain through her, but did use the SEO service. Found the ad on Facebook.

[TransitDesign]

Just looked at the dates. Purchased her package on May 12. Can I, or should I pursue a refund? Any advice?

[TransitDesign]

Still hoping to get some advice on whether I should request a refund from this fraud.

[TransitDesign]

Anyone?

[Former_Member]

I too fell victim to her scam. I emailed her a little bit ago and said that I had ordered her package about a month ago and haven't heard anything (I never even got her report), and that I just wanted my money back.
Within about 10 minutes she replied back and said that she wished I would've contacted her sooner, that it slipped her mind and that she would gladly give me what I ordered. After reading all of what you have posted, I just emailed her back and said I just want a refund. I'm sure her next response isn't going to be as polite has her first one.
My husband had been out of work for 4 months (he recently got a great job!) At the time I ordered it $25.00 was hard to come by. I guess this is what I get for being so trusting.
Thanks so much to all that have posted info. It was so helpful to me!

[Former_Member]

I just heard back from her. This is what she sent:

Okay, I am transferring money to paypal from my bank give it a three business days to transfer over and I will send you back a refund plus if you haven't got it yet a free copy of "da etsy code" book so you at least get that too. Is this okay?




Sincerely,
Sarah Beattie

[WendyHodgsonMudPups]

thanks for all this info - and for working at keeping us safe - going to bump this up

[Former_Member]

Sarah's Marketing has ripped off so many Etsy sellers with her bogus SEO marketing and now I am reading she also registered domain names!!

You should be okay if the domain name was registered in your name and used your email address to validate your ownership. If not, Sarah is on record as the owner of every domain name and she could get nasty when the domain names come up for renewal.

You can see who is the registered owner of your domain name by checking the URL address on the Who Is Web site: http://www.whois.net/

The owner, registrar, registrant, etc. will all be listed for each domain name.

[Former_Member]

Her work is worthless. I confronted Sarah by email after I was contacted by several Etsy sellers asking about her services and seeing the report she gives to sellers. She asked me "does SEO work?" She had/has no knowledge of SEO and what she is selling. She admits to using automated software to do the work and generate her reports. She really is a fraud.

She ran several ads on Craftcult for a long time but Craftcult.org removed all of her ads after receiving many complaints.

She pretty much told me "F--- Y--" in her last email.

[Former_Member]

She told a lot of people FU for getting a refund. Can she be reported to Etsy for scamming?

She clearly is not delivering the product she is selling.

And why do people keep buying from her? Jesus.

[LisasCottage]

All of you who got ripped off should bump this thread to the top every time you sign on. You've GOT to keep this as a hot topic to prevent her from victimizing anyone else. There's no telling how many people "she" (if it's really a she) has ripped off.

[Former_Member]

OMG, yes I am!! When I found about about her sevices http://www.sarahsmarketing.com/etsy.html I asked a friend who also has an Etsy shop and was told everything is fine, so I contacted Sarah and payed 25$ for SEO. That was 4 months ago. No major views or sales since then as she promissed. What am I to do? I payed through Paypal. Should I file complain? To whom? How?

[Former_Member]

Kristina, I think it's too late to file with Paypal. I believe you only have 45 days to file a claim.